Garmin Round Denmark Race is introducing floating replacements for the 2022 edition of the event. It will be both a tactical and practical innovative element that will renew the long distance adventure sailracing concept.
The discipline Fully Crew will have the opportunity to make "floating replacements" in this year's edition of the Garmin Round Denmark Race. Here is the German racer Rafael with a crew of 14. The boat took the Line Honors in 2021 edition of the race.
Garmin Round Denmark Race 2022 is yet to introduce initiatives that break with the perception of what it means to sail long distance racing. Therefore, in 2022, boats enrolled in the Fully Crew discipline will be allowed to make "floating replacements" along the course.
- We have asked ourselves if it makes sense that it MUST be the same crew that sails the whole race. And we have come to the conclusion that it makes good sense to have replacements for boats that participate in the discipline Fully Crew, says Morten Brandt from the Garmin Round Denmark Race event organization.
The absolute Challenge
According to the organizers Sailing Aarhus, Aarhus International Sailing Center and Shorthand ECM, the new initiative will combine the tactical with the practical.
- Sailing Garmin Round Denmark Race is the absolute challenge of seamanship in Northern Europe alone due to the distances of 650 (inshore) and 740 (offshore) nautical miles. It is not unrealistic that it will take a full week just to complete. Add to that sailing on the North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat and the Baltic Sea, as well as negotiating our tricky straits and belts. We therefore anticipate that teams will make one squat to the open sea and one to changes in the belts. At the same time, more people will have the opportunity to participate, as you do not have to take an entire week off the calendar to be in the mix, says Thomas Capitani from Aarhus International Sailing Center.
Unlimited number of replacements
When the "floating replacements" do not apply to the Single- and Doublehanded participants, it is because the essence of these disciplines to a greater extent than Fully Crewed is to complete the distances of either 650 or 740 nautical miles alone or as two men.
For Fully Crew participants, the rule is very open. For example, the number of replacements is unlimited.
- You can replace as often and as many crew members, including the skipper, as you wish. However, the number of people on board may only vary by one person throughout the race, explains Jon Koch-Hansen from Sailing Aarhus.
Same number throughout the race +/- 1
In other words, if a boat is registered with 5 crew members, there must be at least four and at most six people on board throughout the race. In addition, participants wishing to do the "floating replacements" must do it within a port / marina. They must handle all logistics surrounding the replacement themselves and finally they must inform Race Management before the start where, when and how many replacements they intend to make.
- We see the new initiative this year as an experiment. We are excited about whether there is resonance in the sailing community for the "floating replacements". If so, we will continue to work on the concept and try to refine it for the upcoming editions of the Garmin Round Denmark Race. Maybe it could be interesting to have the opportunity also in double- and single hand in 2023, says Morten Brandt.